Insulation isn’t the most exciting or sexiest of home projects, but if you have plans to remodel any area of your home this fall or winter… it’s a great time to upgrade and take advantage of the energy efficiency that high performance insulation can provide. According to a survey by the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association (NAIMA), 90% of existing U.S. homes are under-insulated. That’s a whole lot of wasted dollars and wasted energy seeping out of attics, walls, basements and crawlspaces.
“People don’t see insulation, so they don’t think about it,” said Curt Rich, president and CEO of NAIMA. “They see windows and doors so they think about those items. The reality is that insulation has a three times greater impact on the average home’s energy and comfort than windows or doors do.”
Enter EPS, the only insulation you can use anywhere in the building envelope. Insulation is a critical component and fast way to reach energy efficiency in residential applications. A home should be properly insulated from the roof all the way to its foundation to reduce the excessive heat gain during the summer and heat loss in the winter.
Illustration via Green Building Advisor
Why all this loss? This illustration from Green Building Advisor shows just how critical insulation is in roof, walls and floors, 75% over window and door air leakage.
Insulfoam’s ENERGY STAR® certified R-Tech lightweight rigid insulation panel is a versatile do-it-all insulation for the total building envelope. Builders and homeowners can quickly and economically increase a home’s insulating power with these large lightweight panels that can be cut dimply and easily to fit virtually any space, are insect-resistant, and backed by a 20-year thermal warranty.
For example, many people discount insulation in basements and crawl spaces because they are near the ground. However, the connections from crawl spaces, foundations, and ground footings to the actual house are areas that need to be properly insulated and sealed against air leaks. This can account for 30% of heating and cooling energy loss for the average home.
R-Tech insulation panels are available from home improvement stores nation-wide
R-TECH INSULATION CAN BE USED FOR:
- New and retrofit roofing
- Exterior, interior & cavity walls, siding underlayment, insulating sheathing, continuous insulation sheathing, weatherproofing protection barrier
- Below grade, under slab, crawl space, perimeter insulation, drainage board, and radiant heated floors
R-TECH INSULATION TIPS:
- Increase thermal efficiency by installing R-Tech over the roof deck and under the roofing.
- R-Tech insect-resistant sheathing upgrades the thermal insulation value of exterior walls under many types of exterior finishes.
- R-Tech provides a solid, level base for new siding while helping to minimize air leaks.
- Add thermal resistance to interior basement walls by adding R-Tech prior to installing drywall
- R-Tech compressive strength and moisture resistance allows peak performance in the most demanding of below concrete slab applications
- R-Tech skinned surfaces provide excellent thermal, mechanical, and moisture resistant properties necessary when used below grade in foundation applications
R-Tech insulation panels stocked at Home Depot.
Available from home improvement stores nation-wide, lightweight R-Tech comes in various thicknesses, panel sizes and fanfold options (picture unfolding 100 squares insulation in under 5 minutes!) without loose insulation all over, or pesky and painful fiberglass slivers to avoid.
